It Comes and Goes
by la novellista
Summary: He lost someone, and he cannot truly let go. She lost something, and she's trying to gain it back. How do we all deal with regret? AU and OC.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** I do not own Persona 4 or anything related to it.

* * *

 **PROLOGUE**

 _Song: "The Real Folk Blues" by Seatbelts ft. Mai Yamane  
_

* * *

It's raining pretty hard today.

I'm the only person on the train, which was both lonely and calming. As I looked out the windows, observing how gray gradually turned into green within the wet mist, the train rocked back and forth. I felt myself releasing the tension I've been holding in all this time.

 _Inaba, huh…_

I can hear my Mom screaming at me, even now.

" _Is that it? After all I've done for you? After paying for anything and everything just to get you through university, after asking a lot of people and disgracing myself just to get you that job that you haven't even had for 2 years… You're just going to leave? To go to some hick town and… teach?!"_

 _"Mom, please listen to me..!"_

 _"No, YOU listen to ME! You have an amazing job right now! You're meeting with international people left and right! This is a dream come true for you! Don't just waste it, unlike everything else!"_

 _"...not mine."_

 _"What?"_

 _"...It's not mine! That dream IS NOT MINE!"_

 _*SLAP*_

I involuntarily touch my left cheek and scratch it.

"Her hands have always been strong… Guess that's one thing we have in common."

I sigh quietly and look out the window once more, settling back in to the rhythm of the rocking train and the rain pattering outside.

"… Please."

I say to no one in particular.

* * *

It's raining cats and dogs today.

I look up, shielding my eyes from the raindrops, getting my face wet in the process.

 _Did Nanako bring her umbrella today...?_

 _I'm sure she did. She's always careful._

Shrugging, I grab my jacket firmly and run towards my car. No choice, I forgot to bring a damned umbrella. The weather report mentioned only slight clouds for this supposed sunny afternoon.

 _Weather forecast, my ass._

I take my car keys from my pocket, open the door, and get in. Dammit, I don't even have a towel to dry myself with.

"Maybe I can pass by the house first...", I mutter as I use my jacket to wipe my face and arms.

I'm only going on the usual patrol today. I can drop by the house and get a change of clothes. Recently, there's been nothing unusual going on, just like the good old days. Before that time with Yu and those friends of his... And Adachi.

... And Chisato.

 _Tch._

Starting the engine, I check the surroundings for any other cars, and seeing none around, I put the gear in full throttle.

"... I'm all alone."

I heave a sigh, and drive into the rain.


	2. Author's Notes

**AUTHOR'S NOTES  
**

* * *

 **1/27/2016**

Hi everyone!

For those who have read my story, favorited, followed, and of course, reviewed. My deepest thanks! Please keep the encouragement coming! *bows*

If you've noticed, I've been revising the story quite frequently. Some of you might be surprised that you just read the story 10 minutes ago, and suddenly when you refreshed the page, there's been an extra paragraph or sentence. I'm so sorry for the bother. -_-

But the thing is, once I get an epiphany, like, "OH! I should add this or that, or remove this or that," I don't want to lose those ideas, so I immediately update the story as soon as I can.

Please bear with me in the meantime. I've resolved to do all revisions offline, and will do revisions after posting ONLY if necessary.

Thank you!

* * *

 **1/22/2016**

Honestly, I'm scared to bits right now. I haven't written in this site in over a decade (it's true).

And the first story I write after that mega-long hiatus is a love story between Dojima and my OC. Not even Narukami Yu and my OC. I feel a sort of kinship with Dojima, and it might be only me who thinks this, but Dojima is very cool and sexy for his (actual) age. He's a very smart and capable police detective, and he's a fierce and loving father/uncle.

I just want him to have a happy story of falling in love again (though there are always struggles before that ultimately happens; else, I would have labelled this Romance/Humor and not Romance/Drama). And because I want to still retain the characteristics of our P4 Protagonists, I decided to finally use my OC in a story… publicly.

Off the bat, please don't judge me harshly if there are lapses in my writing. I've started writing again as an outlet for stress and for me to finally restart my creativity. I feel so dull without it. I guess you could also say I'm re-learning how to write creatively (because my writing for the past few years have become so work-oriented and technical).

This story is very AU because:

\- In an alternate reality that Dojima-san is not 41-42 years old, but 36-37 years old.

\- In an alternate reality that the OC is 24 years old, and becomes friends with the Investigation Team as their new English teacher having an internship in Inaba. She shall be named Mizuhara Kaho.

\- In an alternate reality wherein the cases have been solved, and Adachi is already in prison reformation. This will become a very "normal" AU for our P4 protagonists.

\- In an alternate reality wherein Narukami Yu often visits his Inaba pals once or twice a month on weekends (because suddenly, his current school only has 4 days of classes a week).

I had to make a separate chapter for my initial notes on this story, so that when the actual chapters are out, you won't be bothered reading my A/N before or after. Just focus on what's necessary.

I'll be updating this A/N Page from time to time.

Oh, as you know, I don't own Persona 4 or anything related to it.

Thanks in advance, everyone. :)


	3. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I do not own Persona 4 or anything related to it.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 1**

 _Song: "The Real Folk Blues" by Seatbelts ft. Mai Yamane_

* * *

Inaba has been the home of regular rain showers since way back when the place was still underdeveloped and only had rows of farmlands. There was even a time, not long ago, wherein the rain induced fear and excitement into the Inaba residents, specifically if it consisted of a turned-off television and continuous rain till midnight. So anybody, whether resident or visitor, expected rain to appear at least twice in a week. It was just a question of, "which day of the week will it be?" For that, they all rely on the daily weather forecast.

But given the track record of weather forecasts these days, what with the climate change and all, it was usually slightly off, or worse, completely inaccurate.

Take for example, today.

There was at least one person cursing at the sky for suddenly changing its mind. Dojima Ryotaro definitely was.

The gruff yet capable 36-year old police detective of the Yasoinaba Police Department was soaked to the bone, having completely trusted the weather girl and bringing nothing, not even a raincoat. Unfortunately, he had just cleaned out his car last night and removed the old umbrella he always had hidden underneath his seat for situations just like these. It was going to be fine, he had thought then.

"Goes to show what overconfidence can do," he mutters, shivering slightly as he drove through the town.

He was en route to his house, having decided to briefly stop by and change his clothes before he caught a cold while on patrol. To be efficient, he decided to finish half of his patrol route beforehand.

Driving through the town, Dojima couldn't help but think how unbelievably peaceful everything was compared to the chaos that ensued months ago. Adachi was in jail, Yu had gone back to the big city and visited from time to time, and occasionally Yu's friends would stop by his house and play with Nanako (which he really appreciated). Namatame was even running for mayor; after having seen the darkness, he now wished to bring light to everybody else and help shape up this town, moving forward. Things were great. This was the Inaba he knew; no, it was even better when you think about it.

But even with the optimism that led his thoughts, he was unable to stop his mind from remembering the gory images of death and despair, and Nanako's pale face when she briefly left him in this world. When he thought that the only ray of sunshine in his life would disappear forever... Like his wife dying again and again, ten times over.

Guess he wasn't really over Chisato's death as he thought. Maybe he's still running away. Or maybe he was meant to never be fully happy again... Not with her gone from his side.

Maybe he was becoming a bitter, lonely, pessimistic old man.

 _Tch, I missed my turn._

He took a shortcut, signaled and turned the car right, and passed by the deserted train station.

That's when he saw her.

* * *

Mizuhara Kaho, unlike what her name suggested, was not happy about the large puddle of water at her feet and strong rain bearing down on her clothes and back.

What a perfect, dismal day.

She had expected that the rain would have stopped by the time she arrived in Yasoinaba station. It was more or less a 3-hour trip, it was enough time. Obviously, that was not the case.

"Guess I should always check the weather before running away," she sighed, her turquoise eyes looking up at the sky. She pulled her auburn hair away, which was plastered on her face.

Stupidly, she didn't go back into the station to shelter herself from the rain. For some reason, she felt going back in was a sign of defeat; she was half-afraid she'd take the return trip and go back to the place that was her home for over 20 years. After being stepped on and pushed over by so many things and people in her life, she felt that, though this was ridiculous, she didn't want the rain to win and have her skitter back into the shade. So she firmly stood at the bottom of the station steps, unmoving, wet and cold like an abandoned kitten. An abandoned kitten with a big suitcase, two duffel bags, and wearing a dripping wool jacket.

To add further to her situation, she opened her bags to bring out the umbrella she thought she had, only to find out she left it back in Tokyo. _Wonderful._ It was so funny how everything was going absolutely _perfect,_ she started laughing out loud. So loud, she didn't hear someone approaching.

"Hey… Are you okay?"

Hearing a voice other than hers, Kaho looked up to see a middle-aged man in a dark gray shirt, red necktie, and pants, covering himself with a black jacket (that wasn't really helping). She looked blankly at his face, his stubble, and his dark, piercing eyes. They were so dark and fierce, like whirlpools of deep waters that sucked her in at first look. She began to wonder. _What color are they?_

"Are they black?"

The man gaped at her, looking confused. "What?"

"Your eyes," Kaho continued. "Are they black?"

He paused, wondering why the hell she would ask about his eyes, but answered anyway.

"No, they're gray."

"Oh. They look cool."

"… Thanks. Yours look nice."

"Thank you. They're turquoise. You know, blue-green."

"I see."

There was a long pause, before Kaho realized what just happened.

 _What the hell? I'm standing in the rain, cold, wet, and laughing all by myself… And I just rambled on about eye color to a total stranger?_

In contrast to the cold, her cheeks suddenly burned with embarrassment, and she tried to change the subject. The man was looking at her weirdly now, but he didn't back away, so that's a good sign.

"I'm sorry. I just realized that must be weird, asking about your eyes all of a sudden. I'm alright, just to answer your earlier question…" Kaho trailed off, unsure what to say next.

"You don't really look okay. You're soaked. Is nobody picking you up?" The man asked, looking around.

"No. I don't know anyone here."

He stared at her face, then shrugged. "Yeah, I figured you're new here. Nobody here stands in the rain without an umbrella, wearing only a jacket as thin as yours in spring."

"So I guess you're not from here too? Seeing as you're soaked from head to toe with only a jacket as well." She replied, slightly miffed by his words.

The man blinked, then smirked. "I'm from here, but touché." He approaches her, quickly puts his jacket on her head to lessen the onslaught of rainwater, and picks up her bags. "You can pull that suitcase, right? I'll carry the two other bags."

"What? Wait!"

"If we wait any longer, we'll both die from a fever and a severe cold. Hurry up, I'll drive you." He takes her large duffel bags with ease, and walks briskly towards the car a few feet behind him. Kaho panics for a moment, throws up her hands in defeat, then pulls her suitcase and follows suit.

"Alright," the man says, opening the car's trunk and putting the bags in, "leave that there and get in."

Kaho drags her suitcase near him, promptly opens the passenger side door and gets in. It was only when she was seated that she started feeling the intense coldness of her body. She saw her pale hands becoming even paler, and felt the water from clothes seeping into the car seat.

 _How long was I standing out there? I'm freezing!_

The man got into the driver's seat and turned to her.

"Thanks for the jacket," Kaho murmurs, handing back the soggy piece of clothing he so kindly offered to her as a rain shield.

"Hn." Dojima takes the jacket and throws it in the back seat without a glance. "What's your name?"

"… Huh?"

"Don't tell me you just get into any man's car without knowing each other."

She gasped. He was right. She didn't even know his name!

"Er, I'm Mizuhara Kaho. Nice to meet you. And you are?" She bowed.

He cocked his head to one side. "Mizuhara, huh? I'm Dojima Ryotaro. Nice meeting you." Giving a short nod, he turned the key in the ignition. "Where to, Mizuhara-san?"

She started, surprised by the sudden use of her name in conversation. "Er, uhm, I was supposed to meet the principal of Yasogami High School to discuss my teaching contract as soon as I arrived…"

"… You're a teacher?" Dojima looked surprised.

 _Of course he's surprised. What kind of teacher, let alone a decent human being, would stand in the rain laughing out loud all alone?_

"… Yes, is there something wrong?" Kaho asked, worried. Was he a parent in the high school? Had she already failed as a human being? Was she fired before she had even begun?

"No, nothing. Just thought you looked young for a teacher. In any case, you can't really meet anyone looking like that. Why don't you take a shower, dry up, and change your clothes first?"

"Okay… But where?" She looked into the rainy horizon, scanning what she could see of the town. It was only now that she observed how seemingly deserted and quiet this town was. Unbelievable that there was so much news about this place and those murders a few months ago. They weren't kidding when they said Inaba was rural as they come.

"… my place."

"Sorry, what?"

"You can do it at my place."

A pause.

"… What?!" Kaho shrieked. She squeezed herself to the car door, ready to flee.

Dojima sighed, scratching his head. "Don't freak like that. I'm not going to do anything to you. If you haven't noticed, I also need to change my own clothes." He gestured to his obviously soaked ensemble.

"Why should I believe you?" She looked long and hard at his face. He looked rugged and tired, but he didn't look like a rapist or anything (Well, what do rapists look like, anyway?). She actually thought he would look very decent if he shaved, and he was really quite handsome for his age (which she could only guess).

 _Jesus, Kaho, what the heck are you thinking?!_

She shook her head. Now was not the time to be checking out older men.

Grunting, Dojima pulled something out from his pocket and showed it to her.

It was a police badge.

"… You're police?"

"A police detective. I wouldn't touch a hair on your head unless I want to arrest myself for kicks. Also, I have a kid. It's past 3 PM, right? She's most likely home by now."

Okay. He's a police detective. He's married. He has a kid. And that kid is at home now. That's good.

The relief must have been obvious on her face, because he raised an eyebrow, put his badge back into his pocket, and turned back to the wheel.

"You have a daughter?"

"Her name's Nanako. She's six. I'll introduce you later. You've calmed down, right? Let's go." Ending with that, Dojima started the engine and drove away.

Needless to say, it was a quiet drive.


End file.
